est, who, disregarding
it, dug through the sandy stratum in the wells at Mohotluani: the water
immediately flowed away downward, and the well became useless. When
we came to the stratum, we found that the water flowed in on all sides
close to the line where the soft sand came in contact with it. Allowing
it to collect, we had enough for the horses that evening; but as there
was not sufficient for the oxen, we sent them back to Lobotani, where,
after thirsting four full days (ninety-six hours), they got a good
supply. The horses were kept by us as necessary to procure game for the
sustenance of our numerous party. Next morning we found the water
had flowed in faster than at first, as it invariably does in these
reservoirs, owing to the passages widening by the flow. Large quantities
of the sand come into the well with the water, and in the course of a
few days the supply, which may be equal to the wants of a few men
only, becomes sufficient for oxen as well. In these sucking-places the
Bakalahari get their supplies; and as they are generally in the hollows
of ancient river-beds, they are probably the deposits from rains
gravitating thither; in some cases they may be the actual fountains,
which, though formerly supplying the river's flow, now no longer rise to
the surface.

Here, though the water was perfectly inaccessible to elands, large
numbers of these fine animals fed around us; and, when killed, they
were not only in good condition, but their stomachs actually contained
considerable quantities of water.

I examined carefully the whole alimentary canal, in order to see if
there were any peculiarity which might account for the fact that this
animal can subsist for months together without drinking, but found
nothing. Other animals, such as the duiker ('Cephalopus mergens')
or puti (of the Bechuanas), the steinbuck ('Tragulus rupestris') or
puruhuru, the gemsbuck ('Oryx capensis') or kukama, and the porcupine
('Hystrix cristata'), are all able to subsist without water for many
months at a time by living on bulbs and tubers containing moisture. They
have sharp-pointed hoofs well adapted for digging, and there is little
difficulty in comprehending their mode of subsistence. Some animals,
on the other hand, are never seen but in the vicinity of water. The
presence of the rhinoceros, of the buffalo and gnu ('Catoblepas gnu'),
of the giraffe, the zebra, and pallah ('Antilope melampus'), is always
a certain indication of wa